May 2006
♦ ♦ ♦
■ Retreats Are Not Just for Priests and the
Vowed Religious
Often times when I mention to someone that I was recently on
retreat I encounter a look of surprise and bewilderment followed by “ I
thought only Priests, Nuns and other Church officials do that kind of
thing.” While it is true that almost all of the vowed religious and
clergy regularly go on retreat, there are also thousands of everyday Catholics
and other Christians that undertake the retreat experience every year. In the
The Catholic Encyclopedia describes a retreat as – The name of a period of time varying in length from several days to a month during which the faithful, cleric and lay, may undertake prayer, meditation, devotions and spiritual exercises for the purpose of advancing in spiritual living or amendment of life. Take note of the above words lay and faithful because that refers to us, just plain old everyday Catholics in the congregation. Based on my personal experience I encourage anyone that is interested in deepening his or her prayer life and personal spirituality to go on a retreat for several days. I think you will find the experience to be among the most rewarding things you ever do.
The first step is deciding on a location for your retreat.
There exist slightly more than 500 Catholic retreat centers and houses in the
Next you should decide what type of retreat you want to undertake as well as the duration of your retreat. For first timers I would suggest a two or three day retreat. This allows sufficient time to wind down on arrival and to settle into the rhythm of the retreat experience.
There are several systems or set procedures for retreats,
for example, the Spiritual Exercises of
Even if you make a private retreat others may be staying at the retreat house at the same time. It is important to recognize, however, that during a silent retreat the people around you will not be talking to you. Thus do not feel odd if people pass you in the hallway without even a nod. As you can expect cell phones, computers, Ipods and the like while not usually prohibited are discouraged. After all, lest we forget the purpose of a retreat is to get away from our normal routine, so I generally leave these things at home.
The accommodations range from bare bones “hotel” room to Spartan monks’ quarters. Nearly all are well lighted, clean and comfortable. Costs are generally very modest averaging from $50 to $100 per day including a comfortable private room, three meals and snacks. Rates are often presented as a suggested donation. It is a nice gesture, but generally not required, that you give your director a modest cash honorarium equal to $5 to $10 per day at the conclusion of your retreat. If your budget is modest or even Spartan, don’t let that discourage you because most retreat centers will waive some or even all of the fees.
I don’t know anyone who has been on a retreat that did not enjoy it or felt that the time was poorly spent. A retreat offers the chance to reflect in an unhurried way on your life, your relationships, and your experience with God; to ponder the meaning of what has happened to you, and to prepare for the future. Most houses offer a warm and welcoming environment and good value and many are sited in settings of natural beauty so even if you are not inspired to leaps of faith, you will at least be impressed with the handiwork of nature.
Steve
Macy
For vocations to the Church; Priests, Deaconate, men and women religious. Lord hear our prayer.
If any member of CPC would like to contribute an article for our newsletter next month or for any future month please let me know. The topic is up to you the author. I can be contacted at scmacyclc@yahoo.com